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Can someone tell me the details on this one? How long is it, how many episodes is it, and how much of it was cut? Has anyone seen the uncut version? How big of a loss are the cuts?

Kite is a movie rather than a series, so its pretty short in comparison. The basic story is about a young girl who has been trained as an assasin and used to target criminals who are circumventing the justice system.

Its very well animated, but the movie is also very violent and has some pretty mature themes in it. Its pretty well done, but not a "happy" show.

Media Blasters has two releases of Kite, a cut release on the AnimeWorks label and an uncut release on the Kitty label.

Honestly the show is no worse sans the rather graphic sex scenes, so there's no real loss to the editing. When MB contacted the same director to produce Mezzo Forte (OAV) they asked him that if he was going to put sex scenes in, to do so that they could be cut without altering the story. He did this and there are two versions of Mezzo Forte on the market (as noted before, on AnimeWorks and Kitty.) Most people I know got the AnimeWorks version.

There are about 5 different cuts of "A Kite" worldwide, the only completely uncensored one being a German release. The Japanese release is censored but uncut, as well as a release of the cut version. There are two version in the US, but the uncut one still lacks some scenes that MB didn't put in for fear of being pursued by the Govt. (Underage characters and all.)

I'd say just get the regular AnimeWorks release of Kite and you'll be fine.

The action and story are great. The sex is disturbing and unnecessary. Hence, why I bought the cut version.

My only complaint is that one scene cut leaves you lost as to what happened. They should have edited the content but still left enough of the scene in. Maybe you wouldn't notice if you hadn't seen that scene uncut previously but it was obviously an edit to me.

The show is short even for a movie. The cut version is only like 25 minutes.

I agree, the cut version doesnt really lose much in the way of cuts other than the previously mentioned disturbing and unnecessary sex scenes. I have both versions. I just wanted to see what all the fuss was about. The show takes on a decidedly uglier tone in the uncut version. I mean, you know something like that was going and the show itself isnt exactly lighthearted, but the uncut version just seems meaner.

Some of the sex scenes are very important to the story, providing characterization, motivation, and better defination character relationships. Others are vulgar and stupid. Still, I'd have to recommend the less-cut version. It's meaner and uglier, but that's what Kite is.

An example follows. It's not terribly spoiler-ific, but always proceed at your own risk:

Spoiler:

Early on, when Akai asks Sawa to "come over here," she replies something like "I don't feel like it." In the less-cut version, it cuts to them having sex. Despite the fact Sawa's meek protest, Akai did her anyway and got away with it. This demonstrates the control he has over her. In the more-cut version, it cuts to the next scene after Sawa says she "doesn't feel like it," which makes it seem like she can refuse Akai when she wants to.

Some of the sex scenes are very important to the story, providing characterization, motivation, and better defination character relationships. Others are vulgar and stupid. Still, I'd have to recommend the less-cut version. It's meaner and uglier, but that's what Kite is.

An example follows. It's not terribly spoiler-ific, but always proceed at your own risk:

Spoiler:

Early on, when Akai asks Sawa to "come over here," she replies something like "I don't feel like it." In the less-cut version, it cuts to them having sex. Despite the fact Sawa's meek protest, Akai did her anyway and got away with it. This demonstrates the control he has over her. In the more-cut version, it cuts to the next scene after Sawa says she "doesn't feel like it," which makes it seem like she can refuse Akai when she wants to.

Yeah, but they don't have to get so graphic to make the point. The scene that I think is necessary:

Spoiler:

I think the last sex scene when Oburi(sp?) is held down to watch Sawa and Akai. The missing scene kills the twisty-ness of the plot at that point and you have no idea what happened to Oburi as he is suddenly just being dragged out unconsious.

I really, really liked Kite and even though the sex scenes were pretty horrific, I still thought the ones involving Sawa were completely necessary. The other ones were uhh... not necessary at all. The one between the guy who I have nicknamed "The Big One" and the little tiny girl was pretty awful, and the other one in the office building while Sawa was falling was another one they didn't need.

Location: In Arcueid's arms, getting my blood drained by the neck. Or at least I wish.

Did I get a weird version or do they really switch to English briefly in the middle?

Spoiler:

Do you think the relationship between Oburi and Sawa was made clear enough? It seems that they've just met for about two or three times and they're already risking their lives for each other. Their relationship just hasn't solidified enough, in my opinion, to make it significant to the viewers.

What do you all think about the abrupt ending? It does leave a feeling of emptiness rather than sorrow. I really think that last death should've been elaborated on a little more and given some context ...

I really, really liked Kite and even though the sex scenes were pretty horrific, I still thought the ones involving Sawa were completely necessary. The other ones were uhh... not necessary at all. The one between the guy who I have nicknamed "The Big One" and the little tiny girl was pretty awful, and the other one in the office building while Sawa was falling was another one they didn't need.

Why did Umetsu Yasuomi have to make *those* so darn big?!

Agreed. I find it rather odd they didn't cut the little tiny girl scene because she's obviously 12 or something and the scene is pretty useless alltogether. Is that nor a surefire formula for being cut? Like in Mezzo Forte, all the sex scenes were useless, so they were easily cut for the edited version.

Sorry for reviving this but.. All the added scence's show the world we're in. The kind that goes after s-x and what-not. Also when Oburi dies, it shows how easy people are killed, and that the whole world is one big mess up. I find it very tru, and invigorating. Oh.. Sawa is the best. Period.

No wonder it's a highly controversial anime, I can't get my thoughts together. It's such a powerful and deep anime, you can't help but constantly keep thinking about it.

I need some time to get my thoughts together and watch it again.

I fucking hate Akai obviously as everyone does. I liked Sawa however even though she went through shit, she really represents what sort of human being you turn into after going through all that.

The scene that left the most impact on me was the one where Akai raped Sawa infront of Oburi. Just when you think they're finally going free, and the anime can't get more depressing...ARGH! *goes back watching*

Sorry for necro-bumping, but I rewatched this one recently, and used to be one of my favourites, along Urotsukidoji. Still I find it's structure excellent and wonder why contemporary hentai (well, anime in general, when substituting sex with moe) try to focus on so badly on animated sex scenes irrelevant to the plot, instead of enhancing their plot with the sex scenes (like A Kite), have the audience become so shallow

In between, everyone who has the stomach for it must watch this 2-part OVA / movie uncensored (Japanese or German versions), because it is a good lesson on how hentai should be done... alas from '98

Well, hentai is basically animated porn and a lot of porn lacks complex plots or in-depth characterization. The creators of porn and hentai probably figure that the audience isn't really going to care about the story (they can watch non-porn if they want something like that), the audience is watching porn primarily to get off, so creators generally don't bother trying to write a complex storyline; the story's only there to justify the sex.

Of course, there are exceptions to this, but I think hentai with excuse plots are much more common.